Norway's Data Agency E-Mails Out Virus

Published 7:00 pm, Monday, January 20, 2003

It was one e-mail that virus-wary computer users considered safe. After all, it was from Norway's Data Inspectorate.

But the e-mail sent Monday to 1,700 subscribers of the agency's newsletter on computer security was infected with the FunLove virus.

According to the government agency, the virus infected its external e-mail server and immediately started sending itself to those on the mailing list.

"It is extra embarrassing that we pushed a virus on people who had put themselves on a news list that provides information on data security," agency spokesman Ove Skaara told Verdens Gang newspaper Tuesday.

He said the agency would review the case, and take steps to prevent similar incidents in the future.

FunLove weakens the security of a computer by giving all users the privileges of system administrators.